Scottish Executive

Adult Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to address adult literacy and numeracy issues in Clydesdale.

Mr Jim Wallace: South Lanarkshire Community Learning Strategy Partnership has been allocated £1.6 million over three years to March 2006 to help raise levels of adult literacy and numeracy. The partnership has submitted an action plan which estimates that over 6,000 adults across South Lanarkshire will be helped during this time. Over 1,200 learners in South Lanarkshire had their literacy and numeracy skills improved in the first two years since the launch of the national strategy in 2001. Information specific to the Clydesdale area is not held centrally.

Air Services

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to create new direct international air links.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive, through its Route Development Fund, has made 21 offers on potential new routes from Scotland. The airports which have benefited to date are:

  Edinburgh International

  Glasgow Prestwick

  Aberdeen

  Inverness

  Glasgow International

  Kirkwall Airport

  Sumburgh Airport.

Apprenticeships

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Clydesdale are currently undertaking a modern apprenticeship.

Lewis Macdonald: The detail of the number of modern apprentices participating in the programme in a specific geographical area is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is not held centrally.

Buildings

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are available under the (a) Building (Scotland) Act 1959, (b) Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, (c) Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and (d) Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to address environmental problems caused by unoccupied derelict or abandoned buildings.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Section 13 of the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 allows local authorities to take action requiring the repair, securing or demolition of buildings found to be dangerous.

  Local authorities have powers under Section 87 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to require the rectification of defects in buildings which they consider to be in need of repair.

  Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 gives planning authorities powers to require that specified steps be taken to deal with the injury to amenity caused by the ruinous or dilapidated condition of any building in their district or caused by the derelict, waste or neglected condition of any land in their district.

  The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 gives local authorities the power to advance the well-being of their area or the people in it. This is a broad enabling measure allowing local authorities the freedom to work in a more innovative and creative way in responding to the need of their communities. Well-being is dependent on many factors but may include environmental factors.

Buildings

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how its proposals for the development of Business Improvement Districts will address environmental problems caused by unoccupied derelict or abandoned buildings in small towns and villages.

Mr Andy Kerr: Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) will be local initiatives with local businesses and local authorities working in partnership to address the needs of the businesses in the area concerned. It is possible that a BID project plan could include proposals to address the problems caused by derelict and abandoned buildings, although this would be for each individual BID board to determine themselves.

Central Heating Programme

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Clydesdale have benefited from its central heating initiative.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Information is not kept in the form requested but by postcode area. In the ML postcode area 83 systems were installed in 2001-02, 167 in 2002-03, 392 in 2003-04 and 89 so far in 2004-05.

Digital Technology

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects broadband to be available in the remote parts of Clydesdale.

Mr Jim Wallace: Our aim is to ensure that broadband is available to every community in Scotland by the end of 2005. Currently around 63% of the population of Clydesdale can access broadband services and we expect coverage to reach nearly 95% next summer.

Drug Misuse

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5817 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2004, what funding was allocated to local authorities for addressing drug misuse as part of their grant aided expenditure in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Provision of specific resources to local authorities for drug rehabilitation as part of the grant aided expenditure arrangements began in 2001-02. Consequently, there was no such identification in these earlier years.

Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Clydesdale have benefited from the Sure Start programme.

Euan Robson: As explained in the response to S1W-26341 in June 2002, data on the Sure Start Scotland programme is only available at a Scotland level. Raw data available at local authority level would not be of sufficient quality and completeness to support analysis or to allow conclusions to be drawn or comparisons with other data to be made.

  However, following a national mapping exercise a first stage evaluation summary published in May 2002 found that Sure Start Scotland had offered support to over 15,000 additional children in 2000-01 and 6,000 parents. The figures covered a wide range of provision which varied in intensity from one-off interventions to sustained support over a long period. Importantly, the evaluation summary noted that Sure Start Scotland had allowed a co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to services for the targeted group for the first time. We are currently considering whether to commission an update to the mapping exercise.

Enterprise

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve opportunities for small businesses in Clydesdale.

Mr Jim Wallace: The provision of advice and support for business start-ups and growing businesses in Scotland is primarily an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. In the Scottish Enterprise area the Business Gateway provides a first stop shop for businesses seeking to access available support.

  I understand that in the Clydesdale area for the period 2003-04, 106 businesses have benefited from one-to-one business development support from a business adviser. Overall the number of start-up businesses supported by Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire has increased from 830 in 2002-03 to 1,100 in 2003-04, an increase of 32.5%.

Environment

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether details of transport emissions will be included in future Scottish statistics on greenhouse gas emissions.

Ross Finnie: Emissions data for the Scottish transport sector are available, and will continue to be available, in the annual publication of regional greenhouse gas inventories.

  The most recent data are in the publication Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1990-2001, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 32027).

Environment

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Community Renewables Initiative will have adequate resources for funding renewable energy installation in new schools.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative supports a range of applicants, including schools, hospitals, community centres and local housing initiatives. Applications are dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis. Extensive efforts are being made to promote the scheme to local authority clients, we are considering the options for extension of the scheme beyond 2005 as part of the current spending review.

European Commission

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when a response will be made to the European Commission’s proposals for the new regional aid guidelines post 2006.

Lewis Macdonald: The European Commission’s current regional aid guidelines, which determine where, how and in what circumstances regional aid can be granted, expire on 31 December 2006. The Commission have issued proposals for new guidelines to apply from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. These would significantly reduce the areas where regional aid could be used in Scotland.

  State aid is reserved to Westminster under the Scotland Act. A UK-wide consultation on the Commission’s proposals starts this week. Comments are requested by 28 June to help inform the initial UK response to the Commission. The full consultation period will run up to 6 September and responses will be taken into account in the continuing UK discussions with the Commission. A copy of the consultation document has been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33021).

  We are in discussion with the UK government and with EU contacts, to represent Scottish interests; and we are writing to Scottish stakeholders to encourage them to participate in the consultation.

Football

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Scottish Premier League regarding the decision to prevent Scottish First Division champions, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, from gaining promotion into the premier league next season.

Mr Frank McAveety: No such discussions have been held.

Geology

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect fossils.

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal protection exists to secure the future of fossil sites.

Allan Wilson: The conservation of fossil sites in Scotland is the responsibility of Scottish Natural Heritage. Of the sites identified by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee Geological Conservation Review, 98% of those categorised as of national or international importance are found within Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

  The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, which was passed by Parliament on 5 May 2004, significantly updates and enhances those arrangements, including through the creation of new criminal offences to protect SSSIs.

  The act also makes provision for the production by Scottish Natural Heritage of a Scottish Fossil Code, which will provide advice, recommendations and information in relation to fossils and the protection of fossil sites.

  The unauthorised removal of fossils from private land may also constitute theft.

Higher Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the UHI Millennium Institute will gain full university status.

Mr Jim Wallace: In the partnership agreement we made it clear that we will support the aspiration of the UHI Millennium Institute for university status.

  The first stage of this process will be an application for powers to award its own degrees for teaching. As yet, the institute has not made any application for such powers.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the single survey pilot will commence.

Ms Margaret Curran: I am very keen indeed that the pilot should begin within the next few weeks. Discussions are taking place with the insurance industry about the provision of professional indemnity insurance for surveyors participating in the pilot. We are hopeful of getting a positive response soon, in which case the pilot will commence shortly thereafter.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the implementation of the national registration scheme for private landlords in order to allow local authorities sufficient time to assess costs, ensure that resources are in place, prepare administrative and IT systems and publicise the scheme.

Ms Margaret Curran: We have not set a fixed timescale for implementation because we wish to consider these among other issues in consultation with key stakeholders on the detailed mechanics of implementing the registration scheme within the framework in the bill.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the commitment in Making it work together - A programme for government , published in September 1999, to seek to improve the house-buying process by supporting measures that avoid additional costs for house buyers resulting from multiple surveys and valuations and include energy efficiency assessments.

Ms Margaret Curran: Every aspect of the Single Survey Pilot is now in place, with the exception of professional indemnity insurance for participating surveyors. Training has been delivered to surveyors, estate agents and solicitors who wish to participate in the pilot, all other materials are prepared and a website is in place to facilitate the evaluation of the pilot. It is anticipated that the pilot will be launched in early July.

Housing

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to the development of housing for key workers in rural areas.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive provides on-going funding for affordable housing to meet a range of general and special needs through the Communities Scotland development programme. The percentage share of this programme allocated to rural areas is at an historic high: £65 million in 2004-05, having increased by 10% over the 2003-04 figure. This is from an overall Scotland budget of £264 million in 2004-05.

  Through its current review of affordable housing, the Executive is examining the issue of access to housing for essential workers. The Executive expects to announce preliminary conclusions from the review within the next few weeks.

Infertility Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the circumstances where a 38-year-old woman has to wait for two years for infertility treatment, by which time she is no longer eligible for treatment because of her age.

Malcolm Chisholm: The eligibility criteria for access to NHS funded infertility treatment are re-applied for each treatment cycle. Thus, for example, if the woman reaches the age of 38 or if her total number of unsuccessful embryo transfers reaches three, then the couple becomes ineligible for further cycles.

  The criteria were developed by an expert advisory group using the most up-to-date available clinical evidence. NHS boards have been asked to work towards the implementation of the criteria as existing resources allow and bearing in mind local and national priorities.

  The Executive is currently in the process of reviewing the criteria, including the age limit. I anticipate the review being completed later in 2004.

Justice

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken regarding the failure to submit a timeous appeal in relation to Lord Bonomy’s judgement in the Napier case.

Colin Boyd QC: It seems clear that mistakes in this case happened because of human error. We have already put in place new systems and procedures aimed at ensuring that this type of error will not re-occur. We are also conducting a more general review of the conduct of litigation by the Executive.

NHS Finance

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the finances of NHS Argyll and Clyde to be balanced.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Argyll and Clyde are due to submit revised five year financial plans by the end of June. These are expected to show the board returning to in-year financial balance by financial year 2007-08.

NHS Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for qualified nurses in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on staff in NHSScotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce. Details on nursing vacancy rates are given in tables E10 and provide a summary of qualified nursing and midwifery vacancies by NHS board area in each year since 2001.

National Health Service

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how often patient records are lost annually and what percentage of instances of such loss results from false identification based on similarity of name.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is a very rare occurrence to lose a patient’s records and for that reason central statistics are not kept. I have been made aware, however, that just such an event has befallen one of Cathy Peattie’s constituents. I very much regret that.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation process has been carried out as part of NHS Argyll and Clyde’s Clinical Strategy Review.

Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that NHS Argyll and Clyde have engaged with over 4,000 local people since October 2003 in order to listen to views about the development of health care services across the region.

  I understand that this consultation process is scheduled to run from 14 June to 17 September and I would encourage all local stakeholders to take part in this important work.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been awarded under the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones grant scheme; how much funding has been awarded in such grants; what the average value of each grant awarded has been, and how many grants have been awarded in (a) Banff and Buchan (b) Gordon and (c) Moray.

Ross Finnie: Of the three tranches opened for applications under the NVZ Grants Scheme, information is available for applications approved under tranche 1:

  Total number of grants approved: 39.

  Total value of funding approved : £396,170.76.

  Average value of grants approved: £10,158.22.

  Number of grants approved in:

  (a) Banff and Buchan: 3.

  (b) Gordon: 10.

  (c) Moray: 1.

Planning

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to prevent small local businesses being adversely affected by any increase in large out-of-town shopping developments.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: National Planning Policy Guideline 8: Town Centres and Retailing sets out in clear terms the Executive’s objective to sustain and enhance the vitality, viability and design quality of town centres as the most appropriate location for retailing and other related activities.

  While it is appropriate for the impact of new development to be considered on the overall vitality and viability of town centres, it is not the role of planning policy to safeguard particular businesses or types of business.

Police

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in setting up an independent police complaints body.

Cathy Jamieson: We said in our partnership agreement that we would set up an independent police complaints body. We will bring forward legislation to do so during the current session of this Parliament.

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population has been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s mid-year population estimates are contained in the following table.

  


 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Scotland
 5,071,950
 5,062,940
 5,064,200
 5,054,800
 5,057,400


 Argyll and Clyde
 424,090
 421,740
 420,700
 418,750
 417,010


 Ayrshire and Arran
 370,560
 368,770
 368,290
 367,060
 367,140


 Borders
 105,810
 106,250
 106,950
 107,400
 108,280


 Dumfries and Galloway
 148,230
 147,540
 147,780
 147,310
 147,210


 Fife
 347,030
 348,340
 349,690
 350,620
 351,960


 Forth Valley
 278,260
 278,980
 279,240
 279,370
 279,680


 Grampian
 528,670
 527,080
 525,850
 523,290
 523,390


 Greater Glasgow
 872,050
 866,510
 868,170
 866,080
 866,370


 Highland
 209,200
 209,130
 208,920
 208,140
 209,080


 Lanarkshire
 554,490
 553,410
 553,230
 552,910
 553,440


 Lothian
 771,690
 776,500
 779,000
 779,100
 780,010


 Orkney
 19,420
 19,290
 19,220
 19,210
 19,310


 Shetland
 22,510
 22,180
 21,960
 21,940
 21,870


 Tayside
 392,730
 390,430
 388,750
 387,420
 386,550


 Western Isles
 27,210
 26,790
 26,450
 26,200
 26,100

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the population estimates that it uses to calculate all the per capita statistics that it publishes in answers to parliamentary questions are consistent with the latest population estimates available from the General Register Office for Scotland.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s estimates are generally used as the basis for per capita statistics, except for example where more specific information is available about a subset of the population (e.g. school pupils) or where the numerator and denominator come from a common source such as census or a survey which may make the use appropriate. When considering the future, projected figures may be used in place of the most recent mid-year estimates.

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all population estimates used by (a) its agencies, (b) its departments and (c) non-departmental public bodies to calculate per capita statistics that are publicly available are consistent with the latest population estimates available from the General Register Office for Scotland.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s estimates are generally used as the basis for per capita statistics, except for example where more specific information is available about a subset of the population (e.g. school pupils) or where the numerator and denominator come from a common source such as census or a survey which may make the use appropriate. When considering demand for forward years, projected figures may be used in place of the most recent mid-year estimates. When the mid-year estimate for a new year is published after the statistic, the latter may be revised at the next opportunity after the release of the latest population estimates. Some uses require small area population data at a level not routinely covered by the Registrar General’s mid-year estimates, so census-based figures or other sources may have to be employed.

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for any differences between mid-year population estimates provided by the General Register Office for Scotland and estimates of the population made by the Executive, its agencies and departments and non-departmental public bodies to calculate any per capita statistics that it publishes.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s estimates are generally used as the basis for per capita statistics, except for example where more specific information is available about a subset of the population (e.g. school pupils) or where the numerator and denominator come from a common source such as census or a survey which may make the use appropriate. When considering demand for forward years, projected figures may be used in place of the most recent mid-year estimates.

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on permitting its agencies and departments and non-departmental public bodies to use population estimates that are not consistent with mid-year population estimates provided by the General Register Office for Scotland, given population fluctuations throughout the year.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General’s mid-year estimates are the normal source of information about the usually resident population, with students counted at their term time address. If the purpose requires a different population that can be estimated reliably and consistently for comparative areas, then other population counts may be justified – for example by counting students at the parental home based on census information.

Population

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are on the use by it, its agencies and departments and non-departmental public bodies of population estimates to calculate per capita statistics that are publicly available.

Hugh Henry: No specific guidelines are issued, but users would be expected to indicate the reason for any deviation from use of the Registrar General’s mid-year estimates, where this is not obvious from the context.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of NHS prescription charges will begin.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scottish ministers have approved the remit for a review of prescription charges for people with chronic medical conditions and young people in full-time education or training. This is in accordance with the partnership agreement (405). Preparations are now being made for the review to get under way at the earliest possible date and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement after the summer recess.

Prisoner Escorts

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it now expects the contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd to be rolled out to include Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

Cathy Jamieson: No decision has yet been taken. Reliance will have to satisfy the Scottish Prison Service that it is ready to provide a consistent satisfactory service as set out in the contract.

Prisoner Escorts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7587 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 May 2004, whether it can provide any examples of where a police board or chief constable has been granted costs in the past, but chosen not to recover them.

Cathy Jamieson: The recovery of costs awarded by the court is a matter for the party or parties concerned. The Scottish Executive does not hold a central record of decisions in relation to such costs.

Procurator Fiscal Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, for each non-police reporting agency that provides reports to the procurator fiscal electronically, how many reports procurators fiscal received from each such reporting agency in 2002-03 and, of these, how many (a) were marked "no proceedings" on account of delay on the part of the reporting agency, (b) proceeded to trial, (c) resulted in a conviction and (d) are currently pending.

Mrs Elish Angiolini QC: In 2002-03, 169 cases were received electronically from non-police reporting agencies. Three of these were from Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (which only started reporting electronically in March 2003) and 166 from Vehicle Inspectorate.

  Of the three fisheries cases:

  (a) none were marked no proceeding due to delay

  (b) none proceeded to full trial

  (c) conviction was secured on all three

  (d) none are still pending.

  Of the 166 vehicle inspectorate cases:

  (a) seventeen cases were marked "no pro" on account of delay on the part of the reporting agency

  (b) none proceeded to a full trial involving the leading of evidence from witnesses; however,

  (c) convictions were obtained in 115 cases because the accused pled guilty at an earlier stage

  (d) none are still pending.

Public Private Partnerships

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether public private partnership (PPP) developments on publicly-owned land are subject to the same obligations as non-PPP local authority developments in respect of Notices of Intention to Develop.

Ms Margaret Curran: Planning permission for PPP projects is normally obtained through the usual planning application process.

  The requirements in relation to notices of intention to develop and planning applications are broadly similar.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8341 by Mr Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004, what research and monitoring it carries out to ensure that procuring bodies have the necessary expertise to monitor properly value for money issues in approved PPP projects.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for public sector procuring bodies to ensure that they have the necessary expertise to undertake a public private partnership project, including the monitoring of value for money issues. As PPP projects usually involve large investments over a long period, and the procurement process can be complex, it is recommended that advisers are appointed to ensure that the base position for future value for money monitoring is soundly established. Guidance can be found in the Treasury Taskforce Technical Note No. 3 How to Appoint and Manage Advisers . Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 20723). The processes for monitoring delivery of service and value for money once the contract commences call for expertise and resources similar to conventional procurements, including for example budgeting, audit, and performance reporting arrangements.

  The Scottish Executive Financial Partnerships Unit will shortly issue a third Key Stage Review stage which aims to assist local authorities in their Schools PPP projects by assessing what systems and resources need to be put in place to support and manage their PPP contract after financial close. This has been produced in consultation with authorities and specialist advisers.

Public Private Partnerships

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the actual capital charges as a percentage of income have been of each PFI and PPP initiative undertaken since 1999, broken down by year of operation in comparison with the projected capital charges as set out in the outline business case for each initiative.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not collated centrally. This is a matter for individual public sector procuring bodies.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to improve community access to buses.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is supporting a significant number of community access and demand responsive bus projects, both in rural areas and in Scotland’s cities.

Rail Network

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve disabled access at railway stations.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is working closely with the Strategic Rail Authority, who is principally responsible for disabled access, to provide a more accessible transport network.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the first train to run on the Larkhall to Milngavie line.

Nicol Stephen: We anticipate that the first services will be operational by late 2005.

Schools

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to encourage schools to allow it to manage StarOffice licences on their behalf.

Peter Peacock: The recently signed agreement with SUN will allow schools access to the Star Office software under a national licence agreement. Information has already been passed to local authorities and further publicity has been planned through Learning and Teaching Scotland.

Social Work

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a national pay scheme for social workers.

Euan Robson: The Executive has no such plans. In terms of social care staff in the statutory sector, these are matters for the local authorities, the representing trade unions and for COSLA to consider.

Student Loans

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in subsidies for student loans sold in 1998 and 1999 and whether this represents value for money to the public purse.

Mr Jim Wallace: The sale of student loan debt has transferred risk to the private sector and released resources for improving public services. Payment of subsidies is an integral part of the process. The Scottish Executive contribution to total subsidy payments from 1998 to May 2004 is just under £62 million. Provision was made for the on-going payment of the subsidy when the debt was sold.

Tourism

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote tourism in Clydesdale.

Mr Frank McAveety: The promotion of tourism in Clydesdale is an operational matter for both VisitScotland and Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board. Both organisations are working to promote the area to potential visitors.

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the establishment of new landfill sites across Scotland and what role landfill sites will play in its long-term waste strategy.

Ross Finnie: The National Waste Plan sets out how we will achieve more sustainable management of Scotland’s waste, including our aim to reduce the proportion of municipal waste sent to landfill from around 90% to 30% by 2020. New landfill sites are subject to strict environmental controls under the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003 and will require planning permission according to the usual procedures. The plan is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26101).

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to minimise the amount of waste from one local authority area going to landfill sites in another local authority area.

Ross Finnie: Key aims of the National Waste Plan are to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and more generally to implement the best practicable environmental option for sustainable management of Scotland’s waste. Avoiding unnecessary transport of waste is one of the factors taken into account, but it is also important for local authorities to secure economies of scale through the joint provision of waste infrastructure. We are supporting the implementation of the Plan through the Strategic Waste Fund. The plan is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26101).

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has in assisting local authorities assess planning applications by providing information on capacity and future demand, locally and nationally, for waste disposal provision such as landfill sites.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Planning authorities are required by statute to consult the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in relation to planning applications for the deposit of waste. In responding, SEPA can make any point it considers relevant, including the relationship of the development proposal to the terms of the National Waste Strategy and the Area Waste Plan.

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it assesses the capacity of, and future demand for, waste disposal provision for industrial waste.

Ross Finnie: Provision of disposal capacity for industrial waste is a matter for the waste industry and local authorities. The role of the Executive is to provide the regulatory and policy framework to secure sustainable management of waste. Our approach to that is set out in the National Waste Plan, which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26101). Industrial waste, and other forms of non-municipal waste, are also considered in the 11 Area Waste Plans which together cover the whole of Scotland. These may be found on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s website at http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/guidance/awp.htm.

  Certain forms of industrial waste are subject to particular study by the agency as priority waste streams, details of which are in the National Waste Plan. Data on industrial waste are collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Information is available on the agency’s website at:

  http://www.sepa.org.uk/nws/data/index.htm.

Water Supply

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water will be able to honour the undertaking given by its predecessor in 1994 to the Secretary of State for Scotland under section 76 of the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 to comply by 2005 with the European Drinking Water Directive.

Ross Finnie: In relation to Milngavie water treatment works, Scottish Water has put in place a number of temporary measures to minimise the risk of non-compliance with the European Drinking Water Directive. Planning delays mean that the new treatment works, which will replace the existing Milngavie works, will not now be complete by 2005.